CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – Fifteen persons were injured in a restaurant explosion here on Thursday morning, June 29.
Choy Aboboto, Calapan Public Safety Department head, said the blast occurred at Mr. Won Samgyupsal, a Korean restaurant at Xentro Mall at about 10:20 a.m.
FIFTEEN persons were injured in a restaurant explosion in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro on Thursday, June 29. The impact of the explosion shattered glasses and damaged parked vehicles and sent debris 100 meters away from the restaurant. (Photo via Jerry Alcayde)
Aboboto said the victims, mostly restaurant employees and unidentified individuals, were taken by rescue ambulances to a nearby hospital.
A live video feed from netizen Majed Ali a few minutes after the incident showed four injured restaurant staff with partial burns on their bodies sitting in a parking lot corner while waiting for the rescue vehicle.
The video feed also showed responding policemen and Bureau of Fire Protection personnel rushing inside the restaurant and assessing the impact of the explosion.
Police also dispatched its Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit to determine the cause of the explosion and is looking at gas leak as the culprit.
Aboboto said they have closed the road in front of the mall and ordered motorists to take an alternate route in the city proper.
Police Brig. Gen. Joel B. Doria, Police Regional Office 4-B (Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) chief, assured the public that they are working closely with the BFP to facilitate a thorough investigation of the incident.
Doria emphasized that the situation is being given the highest priority.
The impact of the explosion sent broken glasses and debris 100 meters away from the restaurant.